Brown Belt gold medalist at the Pan Ams controversy

Omar Sabha (the silver medalist from the same division) comments on the photo with a link to a Facebook post from December of last year, which is Sam's instructor (Scott Schilling)promoting him to black belt.

I am proud and honoured to announce, that on Monday the 17th of December 2012 at 10:30pm. I Prof. Scott Schilling of Schilling Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu have graded Sam Osman to the rank of Black Belt after 8 1/2 years of dedication and consistent training, an impressive 400 Fights,16 National Titles, and 7 World Titles. Sam, after performing a very intense, technically and physically challenging grading, has demonstrated once again, without a doubt, his rightful place as a Black Belt.

The athlete may only compete as the belt they are registered under with the IBJJF (or its affiliates). If the athlete is promoted by his/her teacher before the minimum time spent in the previous belt requirements met, he/she cannot compete in this current belt nor the previous one.

Yes, you have to have a minimum of one year as a brown belt to be promoted to black belt, per the IBJJF.

The only excuse (and it's a shoddy one considering the evidence thus far) for this would be that his black belt wasn't registered with the IBJJF prior to the tournament, however, that seems to be more of the student's problem, not the federation's.

Any other folks out there run into anything like this? The Pan Ams are the big leagues, but the art is still growing, so surely this has happened in the past as well. Anyone know what typically happens with these types of accusations?

Yes, you have to have a minimum of one year as a brown belt to be promoted to black belt, per the IBJJF.

The only excuse (and it's a shoddy one considering the evidence thus far) for this would be that his black belt wasn't registered with the IBJJF prior to the tournament, however, that seems to be more of the student's problem, not the federation's.

Any other folks out there run into anything like this? The Pan Ams are the big leagues, but the art is still growing, so surely this has happened in the past as well. Anyone know what typically happens with these types of accusations?

Regardless of how he got to black belt, he's been black belt for 3-ish months prior to the competition. Arguably, if he's got a black belt, he's been of black belt quality for a while, despite the cloth around his waist (see also jnp). There's no good excuse, here.

Any other folks out there run into anything like this? The Pan Ams are the big leagues, but the art is still growing, so surely this has happened in the past as well. Anyone know what typically happens with these types of accusations?

From what I've seen, things get said, feelings get hurt, then everyone pretends nothing happened. Eventually there'll be an argument about something completely unrelated, and it'll get dragged back up and more feelings get hurt.

In that instance, you'd both be brown belts, and able to compete, by the rules.

I recall the entry forms from back in the day stating 'You must fight at your belt level'. Two months experience as a black belt isn't really any more than two years at brown.

Originally Posted by honest_truth

Cut offs are always iffy, no need to get salty over technicalities.

I haven't rolled in any sanctioned BJJ competition as yet, but I've been to three. When I was fighting point tournaments, the brown / red was usually far more competitive than black.

I got promoted to black belt on a Thursday night, took half a day off work on Friday to go to East-West Markets Exchange to have my black belt embroidered rush-order. I picked it up Saturday morning and fought a point tournament on Sunday; the ink wasn't even dry on my papers yet. Maybe I was so anxious because I spent four years as a brown belt. At any rate, I thought I was the **** until a seasoned, experienced black belt set me on my ass and held me to third place.

I recall the entry forms from back in the day stating 'You must fight at your belt level'.

Fo shizzle. It's stratified for safety, and also on principle. Fight people who are, at least on paper, at your level. If this isn't enforced with rigor, then competition does little to bolster uniformity across grading systems/thresholds.

If you're someone's a brown, getting the best of black belts, that would be one thing.

If someone is a black belt, sneaking in against brown belts, then they suck for trying to avoid competing at their "level" all sideways n' ****.